Sheep foot tamper



July 30, 1963 T. P. AVERETTE 3,099,191

SHEEP FooT TAMPER Filed Jan. 25, 1960 ZJOMQSPVEQETTE INVENToR.

ATTOFE N E YS United States Patent 3,099,191 SHEEP FOOT TAMPER ThomasPerry Averette, 15400 Lemac St., Van Nuys, Calif. Filed Jan. 25, 1960,Ser. No. 4,467 Claims. Cl. 94-48) This invention has to do generallywith the construction of sheep foot tamping equipment of the typeembodying a cylindrical roller provided with :a plurality of socalledsheep Afoot tamper-s lwelded to the periphery thereof.

In the use of I'ramping equipment for compacting earth, soil land rocks,the steel tamping feet, even though hardened on the end, become worn andmust vbe replaced. Sheep foot ftampers have Ibeen devised wherein thefoot or ground-contacting end portion is made removable from the mainbody yor shank of the tamper which in turn is welded to the surface ofthe roller or drum, and one such removable construction is shown in myPatent 2,893,298 issued July 7, 1959.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedconstruction for sheep foot tampers of the type embodying a shank ormain body and -a removable foot.

More particularly it is yan object yto provide novel improved means fordetachably securing the foot `to the shank, which means is designed towithstand the ordinary use `and abuse to which tamper-s -are subjected.

Another object is to provide a unique construction for a sheep foottamper whereby different types of feet can be attached to the shank of`the device, and in this connection it is an object to provide improvedintertting construction which secures the parts together againstrotation irrespective of the uneveny loading of the foot portion, aswhere crushed rock or the like is being compacted.

A further object of lthe invention is to provide unique cushion meansfor r-esiliently mounting a retainer in the body of the shank, togetherwith means for detachably securing the foot to the retainer.

Another object is to provide, in -a construction of the type indicated,novel securing mean-s embodying pins, together with novel means forretaining the pins in place.

These .and 'other objects will be apparent from the drawing and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is ia fragmentary central longitudinal sectional view through asheep foot tamper embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View online 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is .an isometric view of la retainer member; and

FIG. 5 is a 4fragmentary end elevational view of a tamping rollerembodying sheep foot tampers of the type disclosed herein.

More particularly describing the invention, the 'tamping rollerdesignated 11 shown in FIG. 5 is normally constructed of metal `andincludes .a plurality of the sheep foot tampers 12 on its periphery,Ithe tampers 12 being welded to the roller.

Referring particularly -to FIGURES 1-4, numeral 14 generally indicatesthe main body or what will be termed the shank, and 15 designates thefoot. The shank is provided with `a somewhat concave base surface 16which is secured .against the periphery of the roller by being-weldedthereto. The shank is shown as 'a tapering body of rectangular crosssection with parallel side surfaces 17 and converging :end surfaces 18.The Iaforementiofned side surfaces 17 and end surfaces 18 `are steppedin a com-mon plane to provide the shoulder 21 which extends completelyaround the shank, and to form the recessed upper or side surfaces 17 andrecessed upper end surfaces 18.

The interior of the shank 14 is formed to provide a ICC cylindricalsocket 24 and inwardly beyond this, ra bore 25. The shank is alsoprovided with ian axial slot 26 which extends radially from bore 25. Thebore 25 and slot 26 form a cavity or recess 27 for the reception of aretainer 28. The latter has a cylindrical ybody 30 with a short,radially extending arm 31 -at its inner end. The body 30 is received inbore 25 with the arm 31 received in the slot 26 Beneath the retainer 28I provide a stiffly resilient cushion 33 which may ybe formed of rubberor plastic. The cushion is appropriately shaped to be received in thecavity 27.

The retainer 2S is provided at its upper end with a threaded bore 35 forthe reception of -a bolt 36 the purpose of which is to securely fastenthe 'camping foot y15. 'Ihe latter includes 'a body 41 which is shown asprovided with la convex, yground-engaging end surface 42. However, feetof various shapes may be used in place of the one shown. Depending from-the body of the foot is a centrally disposed stem 43 which is receivedin the socket 24 of the shank. The outer surface of the Ibody isprovided with .a recess 44 to receive the head of the bolt and beyondthat 'with a bolt-receiving opening or passage 45 which includes lacylindrical section 36 and frusto-conical section 47.

The foot 15 is formed to provide a skirt formed by the parallel sidewalls 50 and end walls 52. This ts over the outer or upper end portionof :the shaink -to engage the recessed .side and end walls of the shank,`as best shown in FIGS. l and 2.

The retainer 28, and' hence the foot 15, are secured to the shank bymeans of two pins designated 54 and 55 which are mounted in bores 56 and57 provided in the shank. These pins are grooved peripherally at 54 and55', respectively, intermediate their ends for Ia purpose which willbec-ome apparent. 'Ihe pin 54 is positioned yover the arm 31 of theretainer with the `arm partially received in the groove 54' of the pin.'Ilhe other pin is received in a transverse bore 58 in the retainer. Toinsert the pins into place it .is necessary that the retainer be presseddown to compress the cushion 33 sufficiently to align -bores 57 and 58,the cushion being shown so compressed in the drawings. Thus the ycushionmaintains ya constant resilient` upward pressure against the retainerwhich is pressed against the pins, thereby locking the parts in place.

-iAs :an additional means for releasably securing pin 55, I provide aresilient keeper member 61 in a bore `62. in the member 28. The bore 62extends axially of the body 30 and intersects the transverse,pin-receiving bore 58 at one side thereof, terminating a short distancetherebeyond, as best shown in FIG. 1. Member 61 is made slightly longerthan the bore `62 'and consequently when the parts are assembled, it isforced upwardly in the bore 6.2 and compressed so that a portion of itflexes into the bore 58 and into groove 55 to tightly engage the pin 55and retain it.

It will be apparent that the embodiment of the invention describedprovides a strong construction by means of which #a tamping foot can bedetachably secured to the shank. In assembling the parts, the cunshion33 and retainer 28 are placed in the cavity 27 in the shank. Theretainer is then forced against the cushion 33 to compress the same `andpermit of the insertion of the pins 54 and 55. The foot 15 can then beplaced over the shank and the bolt 36 inserted :and secured tight tocomplete the assembly. The resilient mounting of the retainer 28 alsomakes it possibile to remove the entire assembly from the shank shouldthe bolt 36 become frozen in place.

Although I have illustrated and described preferred forms of myinvention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can bemade therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which isindicated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sheep foot tamper structure, comprising a metal shank having aninner end `adapted for welding to the periphery of :a metall roller,said shank having a socket in its outer end, a tamping foot having astern received in said socket, said shank having 4a cavity extendingtowand said inner end from said socket, an internally threaded retainerin said cavity, `a bolt Seated against said foot and threadedly mountedin said retainer, and means detachably securing said retainer in saidshank, said means including "a removable pin extending transversely ofsaid shank and engaging said retainer and a resilient pad between theretainer and the bottom of said cavity serving to yieldably urge saidretainer against said pin.

2. A sheep foot tamper structure, comprising a metal shank having `aninner end adapted for welding to the periphery of a metal rolle-r, saidshank having a socket in its outer end, a camping foot having a stemreceived in said socket, said shank having a cavity extending towardsaid inner end from said socket, said cavity including a bore extendinglongitudinally of the shank and a slot extending .axially of the boreand radially therefrom, an internally threaded retainer in said cavity,said retainer having a cylindrical body and a radial arm extendingtherefrom and received in said slot, a bolt seated against said foot andthreadedly mounted in said retainer, and a crosspin in said shankoverlying the arm of said retainer.

3. A sheep foot tamper as yset forth in claim 2 in which la resilientpad is provided between said retainer Iand the bottom of said cavityserving to urge said lretainer against said pin. v

4. In a sheep foot tamper structure including a shank having la socketand 'a cavity extending inwardly of the inner `.end of the socket andhaving a tamping foot with a stern received in said socket, means forreleasably securing said foot and shank together, comprising aninternally threaded retainer `in the socket of said shank, a cushionbetween said retainer and the bottom of the cavity, said retainer havinga transverse bore and a longitudinal [bore extending from its lower endand interisecting said transverse hone and terminating therebeyond, `anelongated resilient member in said longitudinal bore having a normallength greater than that of the bore, la crosspin mounted in said sh-ankand extending through said transverse bore, said pin having :aperipheral groove intermediate its ends positioned `at the region ofintersection of said transverse land longitudinal bores, said pin`serving to hold said retainer ltightly against said cushion with saidcushion compressed yand with said elongated resilient member compressedyaxially in said longitudinal bore whereby the same tends to emerge fromthe bore in the region of intersection thereof with said transverse ybore to tightly engage said pin yand thereby resist acc-identaldislodgement of the pin, and a bolt seated against said foot andthreadedly mounted in said retainer.

5. A sheep foot tamper structure, comprising a metal shank having aninner end adapted for welding to the periphery :of la metal roller, saidshank having a centrally disposed socket in its outer end, a tampingfoot having a stem received in said socket and having la skirt receivingsaid shank, said skirt yand said shank having intertting portionsprovided with interengaging means preventing relative not-ation thereof,said shank having a cavity extending toward said inner end from saidsocket, :an internally threaded retainer in said cavity, releasablemeans -mounted in said shank securing said retainer, `and a bolt seatedagainst said foot extending centrally through said stem and threadedlymounted in said retainer.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,502Cooper Aug. 16, 19110 1,425,359 Barry Aug. 8, 1922 1,702,810 Buhr Feb.19, 1929 1,748,190 Ronalds'on Feb. 25, 1930 2,085,980 Hutchens Iully 6,1937 2,242,808 Austin May 20, 1941 2,773,693 Chittenden Dec. 11, 19562,893,298 Averette July 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 463,156 Italy Apr. 18,1951

1. A SHEEP FOOT TAMPER STRUCTURE, COMPRISING A METAL SHANK HAVING ANINNER END ADAPTED FOR WELDING TO THE PERIPHERY OF A METAL ROLLER, SAIDSHANK HAVING A SOCKET IN ITS OUTER END, A TAMPING FOOT HAVING A STEMRECEIVED IN SAID SOCKET, SAID SHANK HAVING A CAVITY EXTENDING TOWARDSAID INNER END FROM SAID SOCKET, AN INTERNALLY THREADED RETAINER IN SAIDCAVITY, A BOLT SEATED AGAINST SAID FOOT AND THREADEDLY MOUNTED IN SAIDRETAINER, AND MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING SAID RETAINER IN SAID SHANK SAIDMEANS INCLUDING A REMOVABLE PIN EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SHANK ANDENGAGING SAID RETAINER AND A RESILIENT PAD BETWEEN THE RETAINER AND THEBOTTOM OF SAID CAVITY SERVING TO YIELDABLY URGE SAID RETAINER AGAINSTSAID PIN.